What is a 5 weight? What is a 6 weight?

[Mark Reynolds]

For the uninformed, like me, the lingo used in the cattle business is a language all to its own. I've been listening/watching the Feeder Flash every day and when I hear a new word I'll stop, search for it on the interwebs then hit play again. This might be a good topic for a new thread. "Cattle World Slang". It could be very helpful to the newbies.

AUM

 

[brandonm_13]

Is no one else bothered that a 600 pound takes a dump just before going over the scales and it went from being a 6 weight to a 5 weight? Of course, we don't have 599 pound steers. The scales either show 595 or 600.

 

[Travlr]

Is no one else bothered that a 600 pound takes a dump just before going over the scales and it went from being a 6 weight to a 5 weight? Of course, we don't have 599 pound steers. The scales either show 595 or 600.

That's what they call "shrinkage" in the industry. And of course they like to shrink just before stepping on the scales if you are selling... and in the sale ring on the scales if you are buying.

I learned early to watch out for salted calves. Some of the cattle dealers would keep their calves away from water and feed them salted hay, and then just before they were gonna hit the ring they would turn the water on. A five hundred pound calf carrying ten gallons of water weighs quite a bit more crossing the scales.

 

[brandonm_13]

That's what they call "shrinkage" in the industry. And of course they like to shrink just before stepping on the scales if you are selling... and in the sale ring on the scales if you are buying.

I learned early to watch out for salted calves. Some of the cattle dealers would keep their calves away from water and feed them salted hay, and then just before they were gonna hit the ring they would turn the water on. A five hundred pound calf carrying ten gallons of water weighs quite a bit more crossing the scales.

I get shrinkage, but still question calling a 599 pound calf a 5 weight.

 

[Logan52]

What about, "she will bump" ? I used to hear that all the time.
At the yards the weigh pen was full of men walking among the cows before the sale trying to find one that would bump.
Hardly ever hear it anymore.

 

[Travlr]

What about, "she will bump" ? I used to hear that all the time.
At the yards the weigh pen was full of men walking among the cows before the sale trying to find one that would bump.
Hardly ever hear it anymore.

LOL... I haven't heard that expression for decades. My dad showed me how to bump a cow when I was a kid.

 

[farmerjan]

Is no one else bothered that a 600 pound takes a dump just before going over the scales and it went from being a 6 weight to a 5 weight? Of course, we don't have 599 pound steers. The scales either show 595 or 600.

Here it would probably bring more money per pound, since the 5 wts are much more in demand normally than over 6... lately there have been more in the heavier range... but used to be not enough of 6 or 7 wts to make loads and the buyers didn't want them....

 

[farmerjan]

Have guys here all the time bumping cows... we have done it often when a cow comes in and put in the cull pen and no info on her "status"... when son worked at the one yard, he would bump cows in the cull pen and try to buy some of them... had several that he brought home and calved out. Nowadays, many will have them checked at the yard because breds are bringing better prices... plus cull buyers do not especially want 3rd trimester as there is more loss than if they are shorter breds... under 6 months there is "more cow" and less calf... getting over 7 months, there is alot "more calf" and the cow is worth more as a bred.

 

[kenny thomas]

Is no one else bothered that a 600 pound takes a dump just before going over the scales and it went from being a 6 weight to a 5 weight? Of course, we don't have 599 pound steers. The scales either show 595 or 600.

It happens. But normally a 5wt will be higher per lb than a 6wt.

 

[kenny thomas]

What about, "she will bump" ? I used to hear that all the time.
At the yards the weigh pen was full of men walking among the cows before the sale trying to find one that would bump.
Hardly ever hear it anymore.

I have done that a lot years ago.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I like @RustyTub idea. I can talk sale barn slang as well as the next guy, but it can be regional.

Very regional

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Buyes have a racket going on. They pay more for light weights - but lt wts get sick more often (I believe) and they have to put more time and feed into them.
Pay less for heavy weights, which gets sick less (I believe) and they don't have to put as much time or feed into them.
I am sooo glad I direct sell. My buyer pays me the highest price for ALL weight catagories. I got $2.50 for 8 - weight calves. Our market is never as good as further West.

 

[Silver]

I don't believe I've ever seen lightweights sell for more than heavies, all other things being equal.

 

[Travlr]

I don't believe I've ever seen lightweights sell for more than heavies, all other things being equal.

per pound...

 

[greybeard]

per pound for sure. Buyer is buying for someone that believes (often correctly) that they can put weight on a light weight cheaper than they can buy the extra weight by the lb that is already on the heavier cow. There wll be haul condition shrinkage on that/those heavier animals anyway that has to be recovered under feed so they will have to feed them either on good grass somewhere or in a feedlot/pasture combination.

 

[Silver]

per pound...

Right. My pet peeve. Per pound means nothing. A friend of mine was crowing this fall because their calf "rang the bell" at the auction mart. Highest selling calf of the day. Just over $5 per pound. I asked what it weighed, did a quick calculation and discerned that this "bell ringer" sold for almost $1,000 less than my steers averaged. But this person is quite sure they are on the right track, topping the sale and all.
I would also venture a guess that the cost to keep the mother of the little bell ringer cost close to the same as the mothers of my calves.

 

[Little Joe]

Right. My pet peeve. Per pound means nothing. A friend of mine was crowing this fall because their calf "rang the bell" at the auction mart. Highest selling calf of the day. Just over $5 per pound. I asked what it weighed, did a quick calculation and discerned that this "bell ringer" sold for almost $1,000 less than my steers averaged. But this person is quite sure they are on the right track, topping the sale and all.
I would also venture a guess that the cost to keep the mother of the little bell ringer cost close to the same as the mothers of my calves.

I'll go a step further, I only care what the profit was not what the calf brought. A lot of profit difference between a calf with a 700 lb weaning weight all from mama and grass and one that's been creep fed or mama was grain fed as well.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Most 700# + calves go right on a feedlot - no backgrounding. They are screwed if they backgrounded mine. Just slow their growth (screws up marbling) and they just grow frame, which means then you are finishing out a 1600# steer.
That was why the original % Simmental steers got such a bad reputation. Back then, everybody backgrounded. They soon learned those spotted calves didn't finish until they were 1700#.
From what I've been told and read, you want the calf to stay on an increasing growth curve for the best early marbling. Works for me with the 13 months old steers I've raised. Butcher just raves about the marbling. Keeps showing his other customers. Tries to get them to guess how old they are.
Don't most backgrounders get low ADG on their calves? Cheap gain, but low?

 

[Travlr]

Right. My pet peeve. Per pound means nothing. A friend of mine was crowing this fall because their calf "rang the bell" at the auction mart. Highest selling calf of the day. Just over $5 per pound. I asked what it weighed, did a quick calculation and discerned that this "bell ringer" sold for almost $1,000 less than my steers averaged. But this person is quite sure they are on the right track, topping the sale and all.
I would also venture a guess that the cost to keep the mother of the little bell ringer cost close to the same as the mothers of my calves.

True that... He must have sold a 40 pound bottle calf that two people needed for a mother cow that lost its calf.

 

[Brute 23]

I would rather them call a #600, #595 all day. There is a big price drop over 6, here.